


These Furious Ghosts in Their Shrouds Stained with Blood

by Ruuger



Category: The Mentalist
Genre: Dark, Dark!Jane, Future Fic, Gen, Yuletide 2010
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-23
Updated: 2010-12-23
Packaged: 2017-10-14 00:32:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/143354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruuger/pseuds/Ruuger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There is one thing that Jane can give Kristina to make amends for all that was done to her because of him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	These Furious Ghosts in Their Shrouds Stained with Blood

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sprl1199](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sprl1199/gifts).



When Jane came back from buying supplies, he found Kristina sitting by the window, meditating.

For a moment he watched her as she stared into the flame of the candle in front of her. She still woke up screaming every night, her body and mind wrecked with terror as she dreamt of Red John, and he'd taken the habit of holding vigil by her side while she slept, to offer her what little comfort could. It wasn't like he'd be sleeping much himself anyway.

He thinks that some part of her resented him for bringing her back, for turning her over to Sophie to be fixed. Not healed, but glued together like a broken piece of china, and Jane knew from experience that no matter how a good job Sophie had done, the cracks would still always be there.

But this was the only thing he could give her, the only penance he could make for all the things that were taken from her because of him. It would be a sacrifice, but he knew that it was the least that he owed her.

He set down his shopping and went to her, stopping in her line of sight.

"It's time."

She roused from her trance and looked at him, a small smile grazing her lips.

He took her hand, carefully signalling his intent before touching her, and helped her to her feet. She was still smiling, but it was an imitation of a smile, like something painted on the face of a doll. She leant down to blow out the candle and then turned to him, pressing a chaste kiss on his cheek. It was not about love between them, never had been.

"I'll get our things," she said, and slipped out of his grasp, disappearing into the bathroom.

Jane picked up the phone and dialed from memory a number he hadn't used in a very long time.

The phone rang only once before Lisbon picked up.

"Lisbon."

He couldn't help the small smile tugging his lips at the sound of her voice. "Hello, Teresa."

There was a short silence, and then a gasp of breath, and he closed his eyes to better imagine her face.

"Jane? Is that you?"

If he concentrated he could almost see her, could imagine how she switched to the speakerphone and then gestured to the team to join her to make sure they heard this too. There was a sudden pang of regret when he thought of her and the team, a longing for the only family he'd had for a long time, but he quelled it. He'd made his choice and couldn't afford to go back. Not now, not when the end was so near.

"Where are you, Jane?"

"We found him."

"Who? Red John?" There was a slight pause. "Is Kristina with you? Is she all right? Jane, talk to me!"

He ignored her questions and gave her an address, telling her to meet him there. It wasn't the address he and Kristina were heading for, but it was close. Far enough to make sure that she could not interfere, but close enough that she would be there to witness the end, no matter what happened.

* * *

The taxi driver gave them a suspicious look but didn't refuse them when Jane gave him an address on the edges of an old warehouse district. Once there, they waited until they could no longer see the tail light of the car before heading to their final destination. It was past midnight, but Jane had memorized the map of the area and it didn't take them long to find the building they were looking for.

He didn't ask her if she still wants to go through with it, didn't have to. She gave his hand one final squeeze and disappeared into the darkness.

Jane opened the door and stepped inside.

The warehouse was dark, the only light coming from a small table lamp on a desk across the room. There was a man sitting by the table, hunched over as he wrote. When the door banged close he looked up, looking confused only for a second before his lips twisted to a smile.

"Ah, Patrick. What a wonderful surprise to see you here," Red John said. He set down his pen and stood up. "I admit, I never thought you'd be able to find me. But here you are."

Red John circled around the desk. His hand disappeared from sight just for a moment, and when it reappeared, he was holding a pistol. He flipped the safety off with the air of someone who knew what he's doing and pointed the gun at Jane.

"So what are you going to do now, Patrick?"

Jane said nothing.

They knew his name now, but it was impossible for Jane to think of this man as anything but Red John, to see him as anything else than a grinning bloody face. There was part of him that wanted to just lunge Red John and tear his throat out with his bare hands, but he pushed down the urge and held his place.

"I should kill you, Patrick, for being as audacious as to disturb me in my sanctuary, but I think I'll let you live. I'm not finished with you yet. Not by far." He tilted his head, his smile widening, and Jane could almost see the dripping blood. "Would you like to know what I have planned for your dear friend Agent Lisbon?"

When Jane remained quiet, a brief look of suspicion flashed on Red John's face, but he quickly shook it off.

"But you have seen me now. That is a problem." He slipped his free hand into his pocket and brought out a scalpel. "Did you enjoy being blind, Patrick? Would you like to try it again?"

His eyes never leaving Jane, he walked across the room, stopping only few yards away from where Jane was standing.

"You're being awfully quiet, Patrick. Don't you have anything you want to say?"

As he looked at Red John, so close that he could almost reach and touch him, Jane felt like laughing. He had never thought he could feel such _joy_ again. He smiled. "Yes. I win."

"What?" Red John asked, but Jane was not looking at him anymore, he was looking at Kristina.

She appeared from the darkness behind Red John, an apparition dressed in all white, her bare feet making no sound as she crossed the floor to them. Light glinted from the blade of her knife as she raised it, and for a second it just hung there, like the sword of Damocles hanging by the thread, but then she brought it down, stabbing the blade between Red John's shoulder blades. He staggered forward at the impact, his mouth forming a silent O of surprise before the pain forced a scream out of him. His fingers twitched as he tried to pull the trigger, in vain as the gun clattered to the ground, followed by the scalpel.

Stripped of his weapons, Red John twisted around, grasping for Kristina with his bare hands, but she held on to the knife with both hands and managed to keep her footing. When he turned, she pulled the knife from his body with a twist and plunged it into his stomach. Red John let out another scream of pain as he lurched forward, but she dodged him and pulled the knife away, only to stab him again. Crimson blood splattered on her dress and face as she pulled out the knife and then brought it down, again and again, until Red John finally fell to his knees.

He remained in that position for a few seconds, almost as if praying, and then toppled backwards and crumpled on the floor.

Kristina looked down at him, her face still devoid of all emotion, and then stepped over Red John to stand at Jane's side.

"Thank you," she said, "I'm free now," and Jane idly wondered what she would do now, if she would choose to be alive or dead. But it didn't really matter, didn't matter any more than his own life mattered. In a way they were both ghosts now, had been for a very long time, their purpose on Earth finally fulfilled.

Her hand brushed against his, slippery with blood, and he took it. He knew it would still be some time until Lisbon and the others would manage to piece in the clues that he left at the address he gave her. Time enough to spare.

On the floor Red John twitched in pain, blood bubbling on his lips with a wet raspy sound as he tried to draw breath. Jane squeezed Kristina's hand and together they watched Red John's blood pool in their feet as he slowly bled to death.

It took a very long time.


End file.
